


Blue Numbers

by JAKishu



Series: Death is their gift [2]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Death, Gifts, Kid Mycroft, M/M, baby sherlock, knowing the time of death, seeing the death of people, sherlock born
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-19
Updated: 2018-08-11
Packaged: 2019-05-09 01:29:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14706539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JAKishu/pseuds/JAKishu
Summary: Mycroft Holmes likes numbers and he sees them everywhere. Every person has his own set of numbers and he likes them but it needs the birth of his brother to understand what they mean: Death





	1. Meaning of the numbers

**Author's Note:**

> Finally the sequel for Life and Death, this one followes Mycroft, growing up with his gift and searching for a way to get his brother back.  
> This work is not betaed, like the prequel, if anyone is interested in being my beta, just write I would be happy.

Mycroft Holmes was an odd child, very intelligent but a bit strange, at least his father thought so. His father had married a gifted, he loved her and accepted every part that came with a gift, that includes having a child that could be gifted too.

His mother takes him often for walks, at places where no other people were. She told her child at the young age of four about her gift. Seeing the circumstance of someone’s dead. She never knew when it happens but how was clearly shown in her eyes when she touches a person. After a family tragedy, his mother takes him for another walk. "Mycroft, do you know what happened with your cousin?" The child shakes his head. "His gift was dangerous and people from a facility took him."

"Why?" The child can’t imagine his cousin doing something that would course danger.

"His gift is his voice and the power behind his words. When he tells someone to die, this person will die. He did it by accident you understand. Your cousin didn't mean to hurt someone, he didn't know but now they have taken his voice away." His mother looked sad. Mycroft takes her gloved hand and tights his grip.

"Mycroft if you have a gift, don't ever tell a soul about it. They will hurt you or use you, it won't be a gift anymore, promise me." The boy feels the fear in his mother’s voice and promised her to never tell anyone. Even when he doesn’t know if he has one.

* * *

Blue, this was Mycroft’s favorite color, most likely because he sees it everywhere. He always liked the blue numbers that where floating around people head, one reason for his fascination for them. People, he liked to watch them and their number counting backwards. He learned them easy and fast and notices only months later that they go backwards. Not like a watch or during math tables. His father explained to him that when numbers go backwards it’s called a countdown. Mycroft also as why people have a countdown over their head. His father didn't understand the question. His parents couldn’t give him answers so Mycroft tries to find them himself.

His mother couldn’t help him ether but she tried to understand. "Tell me about the numbers." She was pregnant with his little brother or sister and was resting in the living room.

"They are blue, the most beautiful color in the world and they are all different. Some are very long others are really short and father says because they getting smaller it’s a countdown."

His mother lays a hand on her belly. It had grown in the last month. "Have you ever met someone with a zero?" Mycroft had to think about it and shakes his head. He hadn't. "At what rate get the number down?" That was an easy question to answer.

“They go one per second, yours is one of the smallest I have seen in a long time.” His mother lifts her hand from her belly. She has a feeling about Mycroft´s numbers, more like she understands the gift her son has and the ability behind it. But she couldn’t help it, she wouldn’t tell her son that it was probably the life time left from everyone.

* * *

The day his sibling was born should have been a happy one. Mycroft was excited and he really wanted to go to the hospital with his parents but he had to stay at home as Father drove Mummy to the nearest hospital.

It took hours and Mycroft had read every book on his book list for this week, including the really boring one, the ones that count as basic knowledge in children literature. He wasn’t sure what children find interesting in fairy tales they, where all the same, princess in destress or a witch does something evil or some magical creature. Nothing real, nothing educational.

Mycroft looked out of the window as a car drove up the road, he watches how the black vehicle stopped and his father got out. The second Mycroft wanted to run down he notice something odd. His father was alone, no Mummy, no baby sibling. His father looked sad and angry at the same time. Slowly seven year old Mycroft climbs down the stairs and was greeted by his father.

“Father, where is Mummy?” Mycroft questioned and was suddenly pulled into a crushing hug. His father was shaking and the child tries to comfort him without knowing the reason.

As his father had collected himself he kneed next in front of him. Teary eyes try to find the right words. “Son, your mother won’t come home anymore. Your little brother ether.”

“A brother? Did Mummy call him Sherlock like she wanted to and why are they not coming home?” Mycroft tries to push away the thought of the meaning behind his father’s word.

“Your brother killed your mother as she touched him, he is one of the gifted that is dangerous, they took him and we won’t see him again.” His father’s words were harsh and suddenly Mycroft understood something he had always known deep down in his soul, the meaning of the numbers. His mother’s countdown was nearly zero as they left and the feeling he won’t see her again was ignored by him in favor of his anticipation for his sibling.

Mycroft was also gifted but no one was supposed to know or they would take him away like his cousin and his baby brother.

… His baby brother who hadn’t done anything except being born. In this moment Mycroft decided that he will never talk about the numbers again and that he will find a way to get his baby brother back.


	2. The brother behind the glass wall and a family of death gifted people

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry took me a bit longer to finish it, but for this here are the last three chapter. Enjoy. ^^

The library was his best friend; Mycroft learned that a long time ago. The few people who visit want to stay to themselves. In his young life had he lost a great number of people, up first, his mother and baby brother, both of them because of their gifts. One of his many research topics were his family history. The town archive and their own collection of documents were helpful. In the Holmes latest history they had his baby brother; he could kill every living creature by touching it with his skin. Their mother, who could see the circumstances of someone’s death by touching, their cousin who had once the gift of telling someone to die with his voice and his own gift, the blue numbers that represent the lifetime a person had left.

All these gifts have one thing in common, they are related to death. The family history showed the same results in his mother’s side. The Holmes themselves had no such ability’s. Apparently was his great grandfather able to change the date a person was supposed to die.

Mycroft sighs and closes another book about the regulation and treatment of people with gifts classify as dangerous. The worst were the ones that were born with it, like his brother. They were taken away and most times never seen again. The majority died in the first years of their life or the scientist find a way to take their gifts away like with his poor cousin that was mute from the day on he had left the facility.

The facility was the worst place someone could end up. They take everything that makes you you away. When they find a way to destroy the gift you have they do it. Mycroft remembers his first visit at the facility his brother is living in. He went alone with only twelve years, his father banned Sherlock out of his mind. He had only one son. Sherlock was five and waited behind a glass wall for him. He was wearing a hoody and gloves. Empty eyes stare at him; there was no emotion in seeing him, no happiness about him trying to find a way out for him. Nothing. His little brother didn't want to come closer to the glass wall because he understands what he is capable of doing. He was afraid of himself, of his gift. Sherlock wasn’t interested in leaving or  in Mycroft. He just wanted to left alone.

At the moment he saw his brother in this ... cage, he decided he wouldn’t retreat until he has his brother out of this hell.


	3. Offering the possibility of freedom

With the years Mycroft had become very good at hiding his gift. No one suspect a thing as the government offered him a position due to his achievement in university. He had chosen his subject so that he will be in a position to get his brother out as soon as possible. He was only 16 as he starts working in the small office in the center of London but Mycroft had a long way to go.

They father hadn't shown any interest in Sherlock since the day he was born. Mycroft fights the right of guardianship for Sherlock as he turned 18 and wins without problems. The only thing left was getting Sherlock out of the facility. He needs a flat for both of them, a flat were he can try to give Sherlock back what he had lost, a childhood and most important a family.

As the day arrived to pick up his baby brother was Mycroft nervous for the first time in years. What if Sherlock doesn’t want to go with him, since the day of his birth he had tried to get him out of this place, what when he wants to stay? It doesn’t matter that Mycroft was Sherlock’s legal guardian; he wouldn’t act against Sherlock’s free will.

To Mycroft’s surprise was no resistant from his brother against leaving. No, this was the wrong term. His brother wanted to stay in the safe environment where he couldn't hurt living things but he accepted his fate and went along.

The drive home was quiet, Sherlock keeps the most possible distance between them but watches fearful and amazed the world outside his window. With a sting into his heart Mycroft remembers that Sherlock had never seen this world. He wasn’t sure he would call Sherlock’s ability a gift but no one knows what will happen next. Only that his brother won't have an easy live.


	4. Epilogue

The man in front of him was a soldier, he holds himself proud and ready, he withstands Mycroft without blinking with an eye. It took him a long second to understand what he was seeing. Mycroft was used to the blue numbers floating above the head of people. But this number he was used to, he saw it every day above Sherlock’s head. The beautiful number that told him his brother had left enough time to grow old and now he know that he wouldn’t be alone.

John Watson would stand by his side until the day they both would die at the same moment and if he had his mother’s gift he would be able to tell that they were together. His brother wouldn’t be alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part 2 finished. I will probably start working on part 3 doing my vacation. John will be the main character in this one.


End file.
